In His Words: John Mpozayo
Local photographer Daniel Msirikale shares the story of Tanzanian plumber John Mpozayo from a recent outreach hosted at the Chunya Regional Hospital and in partnership with Helen Keller International in Mbeye.
In his words, John Mpozayo:
“For five long years, my world gradually faded into darkness. Born and raised in the village of Saza, Songwe district of Tanzania, I spent most of my life as a plumber, providing for my family. But as my eyesight began to deteriorate, starting with my left eye followed by the right one, my role as the head of the family slowly slipped away. By the time I turned 69, I was almost completely blind, unable to see the faces of my loved ones or work like I used to before. I was eventually fired from my job and my life essentially came to a halt.
Life became incredibly challenging. My wife, my rock and partner for decades, had to take care of all my needs. She guided me around the house, helped me dress, and ensured I didn’t hurt myself while moving about. It was heartbreaking to watch her take on so much responsibility, and I felt a deep sense of guilt and frustration.
We tried everything to improve my eyesight. We changed my diet, hoping that better nutrition would help. Our children, who live in the city, sent us money to see various doctors. But each visit ended in disappointment. Sometimes the doctor wouldn’t be there when we arrived after a long journey, and other times, they told us they couldn’t operate because of high ocular pressure. We even went to a Chinese pharmacy and when that too failed, I turned to herbal medicines, which also failed to yield any result. The repeated failures were disheartening, and eventually, we gave up, not wanting to be a financial burden on our children.
Our lives took a turn when some stakeholders of this outreach program came to our village last year to look for people with both cataracts and glaucoma. 9 of us from my village had our details recorded and promised that next year they will reach out to us. And so, we waited, anxiously and in all honesty with extreme doubt that this was even legitimate to begin with. Alas, this year they indeed came to our village and brought us to Chunya hospital for the surgery. I was truly overjoyed when they came, I had no fear of the surgery and only thought to myself, at last, the promise has been fulfilled.
The doctors gave us a thorough presentation of the procedures, what was to come and gave us hope that all will be well come morning. The surgery was swift. I left there with so much happiness and I slept like a baby knowing with certainty that I shall be able to see once again when morning comes. When the bandages were finally removed, I opened my eyes and saw the face of my surgeon. Overwhelmed with joy, I broke into a dance right then and there. The colors, the light, and the faces around me were almost too much to take in. The first person I searched for was my wife. When I found her in the crowd, I embraced her, both of us holding back tears of joy.
Seeing my wife’s face after so many years was an indescribable feeling. I thanked her profusely for taking such good care of me. I promised her that now, with my sight restored, I would be the provider again. The burden she carried alone would now be shared.
When asked what I was most excited to see, my answer was immediate: my children and grandchildren. I could finally stop being a burden and start being the father and grandfather I wanted to be. My grandchildren always teased me about my eyesight, asking if I could see them. Now, I can finally look into their eyes and tease them back. I’m eager to see the buildings, the roads, and even the path we took to get to the hospital. My wife jokingly added that she’s happy she won’t have to wait for me anymore and that we wouldn’t be late for Sunday service. I can finally see our pastor, the choir, and dance to the music.
I feel a newfound sense of purpose and hope. I want to be an ambassador for others who have lost hope because of blindness. I want them to know that there is a chance for them, just as there was for me. And when there is another outreach, I will be sure to alert those who may need it. My sight is back, and with it, my life. I am ready to embrace every moment and make up for lost time.”
